I remember the first time I tried one of the housemade Hokkaido rolls from Giovedi’s pop-up at Waterfront Plaza. These were paired with black garlic butter for the perfect combo. I easily ate two before forcing myself to wait for the rest of the prix fixe meal.
Those who attended the former weekends-only pop-ups were thrilled when the restaurant announced it was opening a storefront in Chinatown (in the space of former Encore Saloon) The restaurant’s name means “Thursday” in Italian, according to chef Bao Tran.
“Before, Thursday was a day we had off,” he says. “We hosted dinner parties for our friends and family. We wanted to bring that energy, camaraderie and sense of community to our business. When people are here, we want them to feel like family and friends.
“Giovedi is an Italian-Asian restaurant,” he adds. “We like cooking Italian food, but I see the backgrounds of myself, my wife and my team. We wanted to incorporate a little of our Pan-Asian background so you’ll see Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese flavors … it’s a celebration of our heritage and the place we’re in, Chinatown.”
We went to the restaurant’s soft opening in early June, and I couldn’t wait to return. Then, the Chinatown power outage happened later that month, and many businesses, Giovedi included, were affected. Which brings me back to the present — and my delayed return.
During my most recent dinner, Giovedi was noticeably busier. Both indoor and outdoor seating were available, but the lanai — which seats about 40 people — was a nice option for a group meal.
Some of the popular dishes from the pop-up were on the menu, including those Hokkaido rolls (hooray!) and capellini granchio, a pasta made with Dungeness crab. But both first-time and returning customers can anticipate new dishes.
If you want something light and refreshing, start with the ono carpaccio ($18) or Hokkaido scallop crudo ($23). Ono is topped with Calabrian chile crisp, cucumbers, Castelvetrano olives and shiso. This was the most recent reiteration of this dish (it was previously ahi). The ono was meatier, but carried the flavor of the chilies. I love Hokkaido scallops, so this version — served with brown butter, pistachio, oranges and crispy leeks — was right up my alley.
The onion dip ($15), served with warm shrimp chips, was another great starter. It had a nice sweetness, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It paired well with the addictively crispy shrimp chips. If you’re feeling bougie, add Sturgeon caviar (additional $20).
A signature dish — and my husband’s favorite — was the prosciutto San Daniele ($22). This platter was intended to be a DIY mini sandwich experience for guests. It featured housemade Vietnamese doughnuts, Giardiniera pickles and, of course, shaved prosciutto.
“The prosciutto is imported from Italy,” Tran says. “We make the doughnuts in house. It’s based off a classic Vietnamese sweet snack, but we made it more savory with the addition of pork fat, salt and olive oil to make them fluffy, crispy doughnuts.”
The airy doughnuts were not overly sweet (as you’d imagine doughnuts to be). The sour pickles added a bright crunch and were a nice juxtaposition to the prosciutto.
Entrees included noodles, seafood and meat options. Seafood afficionados will love the capellini granchio ($36), a bright yet savory medley of Dungeness crab, preserved lemon and kani miso breadcrumbs.
I enjoyed the grilled kampachi ($38) made with smoked fish bone tare and fermented gai choy. The fish was nice and flaky.
Heartier options included washugyu flat iron steak ($48) and char siu pork ($40). The latter was one of the most popular dishes on the menu. The well-marbled Kurobuta pork chop was brined and smoked, then grilled over charcoal and finished with a housemade char siu glaze, choy sum and house red sauce.
“We took an elegant cut of meat, treated it very traditionally in the Chinese style of marinating and smoking, and created something really special,” says Tran.
Desserts included Mrs. Tran’s Tiramisu ($9) — a tried-and-true classic made with espresso and amaro nonino mascarpone — and an off-menu carrot cake made with Chinese five spice and candied ginger and served with ginger gelato.
Due to popular demand, in the coming months, Giovedi will bring back a set course menu.
“We will always be a la carte, but we’ll eventually offer a $95 prix fixe menu for those who want it,” Tran confirms. “It will incorporate some of our best dishes and chef-selected dishes, resulting in a five-course dinner for guests to enjoy.”
Giovedi
Address
10 N Hotel St., Honolulu
Phone
808-723-9049
Hours
5-10 p.m.
Tuesdays-Sundays
Website
giovedihawaii.com
Instagram
@giovedirestaurant
Price: $ $
Parking: Municipal parking lots around Chinatown
